The present invention relates to irrigation control systems and, in particular, to a moisture control system for irrigation using existing in-place supply lines and conduits to communicate information for controlling irrigation requirements.
Irrigation systems for commercial and residential applications commonly employ a water control system to regulate watering cycles as to area, amount, and timing. Typical systems will include a time clock that is operative to control electrically operated control valves in accordance with a programmed schedule based on day and time. While substantially improving over purely manual control of the cycle, such systems did not correlate prevailing soil moisture condition to system operation, resulting in excess or insufficient distribution.
Moisture sensing systems have been developed for use in connection with these systems as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,952,868 to Scherer and U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,167 to Goff. Upon sensing requisite moisture conditions indicating a requirement for irrigation, a signal is transmitted for actuating an electrically controlled valve for supplying water to the conduit and distributor for supplying irrigation in the monitored zone. Connection between the sensor and control valve oftentimes spans a considerable distance. Accordingly, direct wiring is difficult and costly to undertake in existing installation wherein structures, roadways and other obstacles may be disposed therebetween. RF systems have been proposed to overcome the limitations of the wire connected systems. The RF systems, generally requiring line-of-sight access between the transmitted and received. The effectiveness can be compromised by existing obstacles as well as interference from high power RF transmissions.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide an irrigation system that can utilize moisture detectors and transmit conditions thereat to remote locations, reliably and cost effectively.
The present invention provides an acoustical coupling system utilizing existing conduit systems for transmitting conditions at a remote event location to a control location for conditioning affirmative action. In application to an irrigation system, a moisture detector transmits a signal to transmitter acoustically coupled to the conduit supplying water for the sensed irrigation zone. The signal is encoded for location and moisture condition. The transmitter generates a pressure wave based on the encoded signal in the conduit to a receiver at a location proximate the control valve for the conduit. The received signal is decoded and interpreted and if irrigation criteria are met transmits a signal allowing valve opening during the prescribed watering cycle for the zone. The acoustical coupling allows for effective transmission over extended distances and in the presence of other networked conduits, and notwithstanding existing or future obstacles deterring or frustrating the prior communications systems.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention is to provide a control system using fluid conduits for transmitting control information between sensed and controlled locations.
A further object of the invention is to provide a moisture controlled irrigation system for existing supply conduits.
Another object of the invention is to provide an acoustically coupled communications system utilizing in-place conduits for the transfer of information.
Yet another object is to provide a pool alert system using detection of pool pressure waves to signal alert conditions.